Socio-economic inequality in the City of Tshwane, South Africa: a multivariable spatial analysis at the neighborhood level

The premise of this paper arose from negative spatial legacies, a global and regional focus on inequality and questions about the success of spatial transformation in post-apartheid South Africa. This paper responds by filling a gap in representing the spatial dimensions of socio-economic inequality on a local level. The aim is to describe the spatial patterns of socio-economic inequality in the City of Tshwane, South Africa, through a relative socio-economic classification (comprising multiple variables) and identify underlying influences to enduring socio-economic inequality. The results show the enduring spatial legacies of socio-economic status and segregation in the study area. There is a strong mutually reinforcing relationship between median household income, unemployment levels and concentrations of tertiary education qualifications which constitute underlying influences to socio-economic inequality and segregation. High and low socio-economic status is spatially polarised and high socio-economic status is concentrated in a small area of the city. The central parts of the study area and the fringes of heritage townships experienced declines in socio-economic status between 2001 and 2011. When considered along with changes in the racial make-up of neighbourhoods there is evidence of class segregation replacing racial segregation, but historical patterns of race and class remain significant. Future spatial transformation efforts should consider a variety of spatial trends (including housing development and economic restructuring), but should target the inner city and also focus on tertiary education attainment and improving access to employment opportunities to encourage greater social equality in the study area.